POULTRY NOTES.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 6964, 18 January 1918, Page 4

POULTRY NOTES.

New Year Prospects.

(By ii the Donainioo)

During 19J7 the poultry industry, bad its problems to contend wub, tbs chief of these being the scarcity of feed. The question of price its one that can always be adjusted, for if the raw materials cost more, the increased cost of the finished product can be passed on to tbe public In some quarters very higb pr: ces have been charged for wheat and pollard, especially in the North Island. Ac high sb 8s to 9s per bushel for wheet and £10 per ton for pollard have been tbe ruling prices. It ia no wonder tfte price of egg? bag soared accordingly, la 8d and Is 9d beiag obtained for the Christmas supplies. It would not be ao bad if these foods could be obtained in any quantity but the search for them is quite 8 costly item for the poultryman. He has to spend hours and hours in finding a merchant who can supply him with even a few bags at a time, and his to make several trips during the month, whereas, if supplies were? abundant one good load would suffice.^ Tbe pressure is very keen, and th© time demanded of the producer for tbe buying of bis food ia a very coatlyi item. !t is fortunate that the bßrvee| is near, and that this state of affaire promises to be remedied. Even the shipments of Auetralian wheat, from whicb so much was hoped, have not ten-led to alleviate matter?. Samples of Australian fowl wheat seen were badly affected with weevil, and have been dear. The coming year hold 3 little prospect for cheaper foods, and it would be wise for all pruducers who can possibly do bo to lay in their yearly supply as booh as thp harvest ia available. One of the grains that must come into favour for poaltry-keeping is maize, whicb can be imported at a fairly cheap late, while a fair amount is being grown in the North Inland. Foultryrcen do not value this food as much as they might do. The birds love it above all greins, and if fed m it from nn early age they will always give preference to it over ether grain foode. The uae of maiza would tend to conserve the wheat supply, and th« importation of it ia a much better proposition than that of wheat. The; price of egg 3in 1918 promises to" reach ajecord. The poultrymtn must^ simply pass on the cost of production, or go out of business. The public may complain, urd eggs become a greater luxury, but no other course is availsable. Those who have pullets now should not stint them with feed. To do this will arrest their growth, and Bpoil them for egg production during the coming winter. Tbere is a iendency to cut down the food owing to its price and scarcity, but this ia a foolish procedure, and will carry Us penalty. The main flock should be vigorousJy cullpd, and eld birds and non-layers should be marketed. Fewer birds should be kept, and as a result of better selection and better feeding. equal returns will be obtained. In 1918 poultrymen will attempt mote up-to-date icethodd out of sheer necessity. Co-operation ia needed in tbe purchase of foods, and in the marketing of supplies. Nothing would be of a greater boon to producers than io amalgamate now, a?:d form one huge order for the supply of their year's food. Unfortunately, thia needs organisation, and fle no one seeniß prepared to pay for tbe work to be done, it is quesiionable if co-operation along thia line will meet with much result. On the question of marketing product?, better organisation is seen. The sunplies BT6 fauly wsll centred, and the adjustment of tbe prices is urder cortrol. Tbe poullrvftian has nothing tv fear. Hard work he will find in abundance, but it is safe to predict l^at tbe demand for egga and poultry will he sufficient to always assure him satisfactory returns for his labour. AUSTRALIAN WHEAT. Shipment of Australian fowl wheat promise to relieve the market locally (says the Dominion). Reports received recently state that all available spaca has been booked by tr.erchants. Providing, the quality is good, the wheat will relieve tbe pressure on poultrymen. It will be quite two mouths be fore rjiucb of the local wheat will be ready for market, and as ninny poultry men will have used up their stock, , the position will be very acute unless: wheat ia imported. TABLE POULTRY. - ! The chief source of table poultry in • the past has been the farmer. Bel usually grew grain, bad ample scope ■ for the birds and his wife attended to ' fbem. The position is likely to be seriously affected. Grain is as ecarce^now i with the farmer as with the poultry- ; man. A visit to the markets will show, from the conditionof the birds, that many of them are being stinted in their food. They lack the priming of previous years, and the greater bulk of the birds can only be classed as stores. Excellent prices await these who have good quality birds, and it p:»ys to feed well.